Canadian parcel shipping facts for 2026
Size limits, dimensional weight divisors, claim deadlines, weekend delivery and rural rules for Canada Post, UniUni, Purolator, UPS and FedEx.
Updated
Short answer. Five carriers deliver most parcels shipped within Canada: Canada Post, UniUni, Purolator, UPS and FedEx. They differ on size limits, on how they bill a bulky box, on claim deadlines and on weekend and rural delivery. The tables below set those rules side by side, read from each carrier’s own pages.
Size and weight limits
The largest parcel each carrier takes on the services ProtonShip sells. Services listed separately have their own limits.
| Carrier | Heaviest | Longest side | Length + girth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Post Regular Parcel | 66 lb | 78 in | 118 in |
| Canada Post (other services) | 66 lb | 78 in | 118 in |
| UniUni | Not published | ||
| Purolator Ground | 70 lb | 108 in | 165 in |
| Purolator Express | 70 lb | 96 in | 144 in |
| UPS Standard | 150 lb | 108 in | 165 in |
| UPS Express | 150 lb | 108 in | 165 in |
| FedEx Ground | 150 lb | 108 in | 165 in |
| FedEx Express | 150 lb | 108 in | 130 in |
Dimensional weight divisors
Carriers bill the greater of a parcel’s actual weight and its dimensional weight: length × width × height in inches, divided by a divisor. A smaller divisor makes the same box bill heavier. Work it out for your box.
| Divisor | Services billed at it |
|---|---|
| ÷ 166 | Canada Post Regular Parcel |
| ÷ 139 | Canada Post Expedited Parcel, Xpresspost and Priority; Purolator Ground; UPS Standard; FedEx |
| ÷ 115 | Purolator Express, Express 10:30 AM and Express 9 AM; UPS Expedited, Express Saver and Express |
Claim deadlines
How long each carrier gives to report a lost or damaged parcel shipped within Canada, and who may file. A label bought through a platform usually makes the platform the shipper. Lost or damaged parcel guide
| Carrier | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Canada Post | 90 days after shipping, for loss or damage |
| UniUni | 15 days, for sellers on UniUni's own platform |
| Purolator | Loss: 9 months after shipping. Damage: 60 days, or 21 if found after delivery |
| UPS | 60 days after delivery for loss or damage, or after pickup if never delivered |
| FedEx | Damage: 21 days after delivery. Loss: 9 months after shipping |
| Carrier | Who files and who is paid |
|---|---|
| Canada Post | The sender only, and refunds go to the account that paid |
| UniUni | The seller; recipients go to the seller |
| Purolator | Only the party that pays Purolator for the shipment |
| UPS | Anyone can open one; UPS pays the account holder |
| FedEx | Sender, recipient or a third party can file; FedEx pays the sender |
Weekend delivery
| Carrier | Saturday and Sunday |
|---|---|
| Canada Post | Monday to Friday. Weekend delivery is starting in parts of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, on a day Canada Post picks |
| UniUni | Advertises seven-day service in major cities on its French services page, with no published schedule |
| Purolator | Saturday Service on Express for Friday pickups, and no standard Sunday delivery |
| UPS | UPS Standard delivers to homes on Saturdays in major metro areas, and Express can add Saturday delivery; no Sundays |
| FedEx | FedEx Ground delivers to homes on Saturdays in big cities in six provinces; no Sundays |
PO boxes, rural addresses and the territories
| Carrier | PO boxes |
|---|---|
| Canada Post | Delivers to PO boxes and general delivery |
| UniUni | Street addresses only, never PO boxes or post offices |
| Purolator | Doesn't deliver to PO boxes |
| UPS | Can't deliver to a PO box |
| FedEx | Doesn't deliver to the box; FedEx Express holds the parcel at a FedEx location |
| Carrier | Rural addresses |
|---|---|
| Canada Post | Every address in Canada, it says, rural mailboxes included |
| UniUni | Not published; some parcels go to Canada Post for the last leg |
| Purolator | Every Canadian postal code, it says; guarantees stop at remote points |
| UPS | Rural routes accepted with the receiver's full name and phone number |
| FedEx | Rural routes accepted with the receiver's area code and phone number |
| Carrier | Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut |
|---|---|
| Canada Post | Served, with northern and remote points taking 5 to 14 business days |
| UniUni | Not covered yet, by UniUni's own map |
| Purolator | Served by ground and express |
| UPS | Express and Express Saver only |
| FedEx | Ground and 2Day reach all three; Ground stops at 70 lb there |
More detail
- Two carriers side by side
- Every carrier and service, with transit days
- How Canadian shipping platforms handle adjustments and claims
- Canada Post’s labour status
- Which carriers are open on a given day
Sources, checked October 11, 2026
- Canada Post: Parcel Services shipping in Canada (PDF)
- Canada Post: weekend delivery
- Canada Post: my package hasn't arrived
- Canada Post: schedule a pickup
- UniUni: last-mile services and coverage map
- UniUni: support
- UniUni: delivery verification (Canada)
- UniUni: drop-off locations
- UniUni: location finder
- UniUni: services (French)
- Purolator Terms and Conditions of Service (PDF)
- Purolator: shipping in Canada
- Purolator: file a claim
- Purolator: shipping locations
- UPS Canada: domestic shipping services
- 2026 UPS Canada Terms and Conditions of Service (PDF)
- UPS Canada: weekend pickups and deliveries
- UPS Canada: File a Claim
- FedEx Service Guide, Canadian edition (PDF)
- FedEx Canada: FedEx Ground
- FedEx Canada: Saturday Service
- FedEx Canada: claims
Related reading
Four carriers in one quote
See every service that fits your parcel and route, with its delivery date.